São Paulo is home to one of the largest communities of Japanese immigrants and descendants in the world, and as a result, the country’s cuisine has been completely integrated into the life of the city. A restaurant with a 25-year history and an original design created by the Studio 17 years ago, Kosushi sought us out once again, this time looking to update and modernize its main unit. The idea was to give the restaurant a new facade, modify the rear outdoor space, reduce the number of tables, and allocate more space to the bar. The first step was to recognize those architectural elements of the original design which remained engaging and had resisted the fads and trends of the period – and which should thus be maintained.
The facade of the restaurant, situated on a calm street with little traffic, was given a huge picture window, creating greater permeability between the space and the street. In the area previously set aside for the main dining room, a sweeping counter in rustic granite, with all the imperfections characteristic of the raw material, now runs for 9 meters throughout the waiting area. The rear garden now includes a seating space, clad in white concrete, with two waterfalls, hardwood benches, and other pieces of furniture that complete the ambience. The landscaping complements the decoration with hanging and suspended vases. The tables with silestone tops and white-concrete legs, the ample spherical wicker pendants, and the metallic bookcase decorated with Japanese ceramics were all specially designed as part of the renovation and have been placed in the seating area. The design features a neutral palette. The art, lighting, and the surfaces of the furniture bring flashes of color to the architecture.
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